Chapter 3008: Taming the Stubborn 25

Chen Gai and the others hurriedly adjusted their expressions and filed in, each finding a seat at or beside the desk's guest sofa, pretending they hadn't seen or heard anything just now.

At that moment, Chenshu belatedly noticed that among the people who had followed them in, there was also a face he had never seen before.

He looked young, about twenty, with a refined air—clearly a high‑caliber elite type—and was fairly good‑looking.

Chenshu glanced at him a few times; in a daze he felt the man's brows and eyes were familiar, but the feeling flitted away, and on closer look he seemed utterly unfamiliar, leaving no impression.

Probably just an illusion, Chenshu thought, but the vigilance ingrained in his mercenary bones still made him subconsciously pay a bit more attention to this stranger.

Chenshu appeared to be casually leaning in Jin Chen's embrace, but his eyes had already swept over the young man several times.

The young man seemed to notice Chenshu's gaze; he lifted his head, and through his glasses met Chenshu's eyes, then gave a proper, modest smile, nodded slightly at Chenshu as a greeting—his smile gentle, showing nothing unusual.

Chenshu looked away, but that inexplicable sense of oddness did not fully fade.

Chen Gai: "President Jin, this is Chu Yi, an information‑engineering specialist just transferred back from overseas; he contributed a lot to the port's follow‑up tracking and countermeasures."

Chenshu turned back, puzzled, and asked quietly: "You already have a very strong cyber‑security team, don't you? Why…?"

Jin Chen lowered his eyes, curled a finger, and tapped Chenshu's forehead: "Thanks to you."

Chenshu instantly wilted, pressed his lips together in silence, and said nothing.

Well, it's indeed because he stirred up trouble and leaked port information that Jin Chen now places greater emphasis on this defensive and counter‑measure capability, even pulling someone back from overseas.

Jin Chen perhaps already knew Chu Yi's abilities and background in detail, so he didn't ask much—just a few brief questions about the progress in tracking that overseas force. He leaned back in the chair, an arm around Chenshu's waist, the other hand resting on the armrest, showing no displeasure.

As for Chu Yi, his gaze toward Jin Chen was different, like looking at an idol.

"President Jin, it would be an honor to work under you. I will surely do my utmost to fulfill my duties and cherish the chance to stay by your side," Chu Yi said finally, his tone sincere.

Chenshu didn't miss Chu Yi's look at Jin Chen, and quietly clicked his tongue in his heart.

That old man……could he have recruited a potential rival for me?

Jin Chen didn't show anything special; he just nodded and told Chen Gai, "You take him, get him up to speed quickly and let him start work."

"All right," Chen Gai replied.

Chu Yi also immediately agreed happily, smiles crinkling the corners of his eyes and brows.

Afterward, several people held a brief meeting in the study; Chenshu listened for a while and began to feel bored.

Bored, Chenshu sat in Jin Chen's lap and began to play with the hand Jin Chen had resting on his waist—the man's fingers were long, knuckles distinct, nails neatly trimmed, faint blue veins faintly bulging on the back of his hand. Chenshu pinched the fingertips, then rubbed the callus at the base of the thumb with his finger pad, enjoying himself immensely, drawing circles on Jin Chen's palm with his fingertip, one after another, until he lost count, when Jin Chen's fingers twitched, hooked his fingers, and stopped him from drawing.

Having risen early and spent half the day out and about, Chenshu quickly grew drowsy; he simply gave up resisting, clung tightly to the arm Jin Chen had laid on the desk, rested his face on it, and closed his eyes.

While listening to Chen Gai's report, Jin Chen felt the arm sink, turned his head slightly, his eyes flickered, and gave a gentle signal.

Chen Gai immediately understood, lowered his voice a bit more for the report, and Yan Rui and the others also fell silent at once.

Chu Yi, standing a little farther away, found his gaze involuntarily following Jin Chen's movement to land on Chenshu, who was slumped over the desk asleep. Through his glasses, his eyes lingered a few seconds on that excessively beautiful sleeping face, his expression somewhat complex, then he quickly looked away and returned his focus to the documents before him.

The brief meeting ended soon.

Chen Gai and the others rose, gathered their things quietly, and left.

Jin Chen did not immediately pull his arm free from the embrace, nor did he wake Chenshu; he kept that posture, picked up his pen again, and continued reviewing the document he hadn't finished.

After an unknown span of time, Chenshu seemed to have slept enough; he unconsciously shifted and mumbled incoherently. Jin Chen set down his pen and pinched Chenshu's warm, soft cheek as he slept.

Chenshu frowned, uttered a few murmurs, nuzzled Jin Chen's fingers affectionately, rose from the chair, lifted a leg, and straddled back onto Jin Chen's lap, turning his face to rest against Jin Chen's neck crook, eyes closed, to regain his senses.

Jin Chen let him cling like a koala, patted his back lightly with his palm, and noticed he wasn't waking up as energetic and lively as usual.

He pinched Chenshu's cheek and said, "You're not going to give me a taste?"

Chenshu then lifted his eyelids; hearing that, he became interested, wrapped his arms around Jin Chen's neck, tilted his face up and kissed him—like a puppy licking food—Jin Chen's body heat seeped through his thin shirt to envelop him, a feeling that made him feel utterly safe.

Jin Chen could also tell that after recovering from his injury, Chenshu had become a bit insecure and possessive.

He was clingier than before, more afraid of being abandoned, constantly needing to confirm Jin Chen's presence—this wasn't what Jin Chen wanted to see; a puppy should be spirited and lively to be pleasing.

Thinking thus, Jin Chen soothed him with kisses until Chenshu was breathless, his cheeks flushed, and he pulled back.

"Your skin really reddens easily," Jin Chen chuckled low, rubbing his fingertip over Chenshu's scorching cheek and earlobe.

Embarrassed by the remark, Chenshu pressed his hot, flushed face against Jin Chen's equally warm cheek to cool down, then impulsively grabbed the windbreaker Jin Chen had draped over the chair back, wrapped himself completely in it, leaving only a shy pair of eyes peeking out at Jin Chen.

After his fuss, Chenshu suddenly remembered the matter at hand: "Husband, I need to go to the terminal tomorrow to pick up a friend."

They seemed to have a tacit understanding; the friend coming to Yucheng at this time, and the purpose, were clear to both of them.

It was nothing more than Chenshu's never‑abandoned so‑called revenge plan advancing another step.

Jin Chen closed his eyes, appeared to ponder seriously for a moment, then said, "Your legs are on your own body."

Upon hearing that, Chenshu became agitated, burst out of the windbreaker, his hair a mess, stared at Jin Chen and exclaimed, "What the hell! I'm yours—why aren't you looking after me?"

Jin Chen idly played with Chenshu's earlobe, his fingertip calloused, rubbing the soft ear, and asked, "Can you guarantee safety?"

"Yes!" Chenshu nodded immediately, eyes earnest, "It's one of our own."

Jin Chen raised an eyebrow; Chenshu realized his mistake, hurriedly corrected himself: "No, no—I meant it's one of our own people!"

Jin Chen reached up, tousled Chenshu's messy hair, and asked, "Want to bring a bodyguard?"

"Better not; I'll fetch them and come right back," Chenshu shook his head, knowing this amounted to tacit approval, and snuggled back into Jin Chen's embrace.

The revenge plan must proceed step by step, but at least now he is no longer alone.